News

First Installment 2012 Property Tax Bills Due March 1, 2013

First installment property tax bills for tax year 2012 arrived during the last week of January. According to Township Assessor, Marty Houlihan, "Property taxes are paid in two installments. The first installment bill is 55% of the total property tax bill for the previous year and will be due on March 1."

Taxpayers should note that first installment tax bills will not reflect homeowner, senior citizen or other exemptions, nor will they reflect successful assessment appeals that were filed in calendar year 2012. The first installment is just an estimate based on what was paid last year. When the second installment bill is mailed in the summer, it will reflect all exemptions for which the property is eligible as well any savings due to successful 2012 tax appeals.

Details about Paying Taxes

If money for property taxes is paid into an escrow account with a taxpayer’s mortgage company, the financial institution should receive the tax bill electronically even if the taxpayer also receives a copy of the bill. Mr. Houlihan advises taxpayers with property tax escrows held by their mortgage companies not to pay property taxes on their own. If they do, an overpayment of property taxes may result.

Property owners who do not have mortgage companies paying their taxes can make tax payments in person, by mail, or on-line at the Cook County Treasurer's web site www.cookcountytreasurer.com. Payment may be mailed directly to the Treasurer at Cook County Treasurer, PO Box 805438, Chicago, IL 60680-4116. In person payments are accepted at the Cook County Treasurer's downtown office at 118 North Clark Street and at any Chase Bank in the Chicago area. Chase branches most convenient to New Trier Township residents are located at 45 Green Bay Road in Glencoe, 1822 Willow Road in Northfield, 1200 Central Avenue in Wilmette, and 791 Elm and 845 Spruce Streets in Winnetka.